Gambling adverts face ban from daytime TV

TV adverts showing celebrities encouraging viewers to bet on their smartphones during football matches have become commonplaceGetty Images

Gambling companies face a ban on TV advertising during the day under a crackdown on the betting industry.

Growing numbers of children see gambling as normal because of adverts, especially during football matches, experts believe. In response, a government review into fixed-odds betting terminals will be expanded to include gambling adverts, The Times has learnt. “The gambling industry’s luck has run out,” one senior minister said.

The proportion of people with a severe gambling problem has almost doubled in three years from 0.4 per cent of the population to 0.7 per cent, the equivalent of 336,000 people, according to the Gambling Commission. Among young people the rise is greater: the proportion of those aged 18 to 24 who have a serious problem has trebled to…

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